


The Carrion Lord

by AnselaJonla



Series: Prompt fills [53]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Gen, Prompt Fic, Prompt Fill, Reddit Prompts, r/writingprompts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-05
Updated: 2020-08-05
Packaged: 2021-03-06 07:06:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 911
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25719295
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnselaJonla/pseuds/AnselaJonla
Summary: A fic written for a prompt on the r/WritingPrompts subreddit:[IP] The Raven's Altar
Series: Prompt fills [53]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1097823





	The Carrion Lord

"Stay your blade, child," the priest commanded. His voice echoed ominously in the empty cavern, the noise scattering its dark winged occupants from their roosts.

The silvered warrior's steps faltered, but she soon continued up the worn stairs to the altar. The slender blade in her left hand glowed slightly in the gloom. "I... I will stop you, Carrion Lord."

A snort. "Carrion Lord. Is that what they call my Lord now?"

"You know why that is. Your beasts..."

The great statue that towered over the altar opened its eyes and swept its wings and arms wide. The priest's body stiffened, his posture matching the statue's pose. He spoke again, his voice deeper than before and carrying a strange second tone to it. "The ravens do as they will. They perform the role that the Mother Above intends for them. Tell me, child, what is the state of the world of men?"

The warrior paused once more, almost to the stop of the steps. She hadn't expected such a question. What was the Carrion Lord's trick in asking such a thing?

"Excuse me?"

"What happens in the world of men? My domain is this temple, I know only what news my ravens bring me, and their understanding is limited. They speak only of a glut of flesh to be consumed, great feasts for them to have."

The warrior raised her sword again. "Your beasts _are_ monsters."

"No, child, they are _animals_. Believe it or not, there is a difference. So tell me, what has happened to allow my ravens to feast?"

A trickle of the Carrion Lord's power entered the cavern, surrounding the warrior, pressing onto her soul and encouraging her to answer these harmless questions. After long seconds she lowered her sword once more.

"My name is not child. I am Shertha, chosen warrior of Dryla's temple."

The Carrion Lord snorted mentally. She was but a child, clad in armour too large for her, wielding a short sword that was still too heavy for her to swing properly. Still, the pride of a warrior could be so prickly, especially those sworn to Dryla. That one was too far up her own arse, just because her domain made her appealing to men.

"Shertha, my intention was not to offend you and yours. Whatever has brought you down here, I need to know so I can rectify what I have done wrong."

Resolve wavered. Doubt crept into too-young eyes.

"I am from Grila, a great kingdom where Dryla provides for us. Frixia's armies crossed the border, jealous of the prosperity granted by Our Benevolent Lady, and they slaughtered and pillaged all they encountered. Our king called all men into service to defend the people, and all men answered the call to serve Our Lady."

A rote answer. Dryla, or more likely the old farts that called themselves her priests, had coached this one well. A war explained why a mere girl had been sent alone into the cavern.

"There was a great battle. The Grillan army, bolstered by Our Lady's power, was victorious over the treacherous Frixians, but many men fell. And then they appeared, the defilers of the dead."

"Defilers?" Oh, humans were _so_ touchy about this.

"Great swarms of black birds fell upon the battlefield, and tore into those who fell in honourable battle. Their bodies were defiled, ripped apart, and forever denied access to Dryla's Eternal Halls. The High Pri-"

Oh-ho, this was the first he'd heard of his sister having 'Eternal Halls'. Her dominion was over _growth_ , not the eternal soul. She'd always been the greedy sort, but this was a step too far.

His power swept out, buffeting the furthest corners of the cavern. Ravens filled the air, screeching and cawing as his anger entered them.

"Dryla oversteps her bounds. She has no dominion over mortal souls. They belong to _me_ , and the ravens are my creatures. They are my scouts, my messengers, and my reapers. It is an _honour_ to have them feast on you."

The girl cowered on the stairs. Power lashed at her, swept through her, tore at her very being. The Carrion Lord tasted her soul, experienced every moment of her life, learnt everything there was to know about her, in barely the time it took for her terrified heart to beat once. In the instance he knew all this girl knew about his sister's existence among men.

And yet nothing can be taken without something being given in return. Even as the Carrion Lord stripped Shertha's soul bare, she learned of him. Of his dominion over death, his bond with the carrion eaters of land and air, and most of all his anger at the trespasses and treacheries of his sister, the Lady of Growth who was so worshipped among the lands of men.

As understanding filled the child, her limbs ceased their fearful trembling, and her eyes filled with steely resolve. Gone was the innocence in which she'd been sent down to confront a power she had no hope of defeating. As acceptance, the silvering of her armour faded, revealing the burnished metal beneath. She once more clasped her too-heavy blade, which still glowed with the innate power with which it had been forged.

"My Lord, my blade is yours. I await your command."

The Carrion Lord forced a smile onto his borrowed body. This child would serve him well.

Who, after all, would suspect a mere _girl_ of serving Ficelur?


End file.
